Geeta Basra entered the film industry at the age of 21, debuting opposite Emraan Hashmi in Aditya Datt’s 2006 romantic thriller Dil Diya Hai. The following year, she teamed up with Hashmi again for the crime thriller The Train. Around this time, her path crossed with cricketer Harbhajan Singh, who was instantly taken by her. “He was very clear. He saw my poster, and it was probably love at first sight for him. He asked Yuvi (Yuvraj Singh) for my number. Obviously, Yuvi has a lot of friends,” Basra shared, subtly referencing Yuvraj Singh’s links with actors like Deepika Padukone and Kim Sharma. Harbhajan reached out to her, but Basra didn’t respond at first, admitting she knew nothing about cricket or cricketers. “They’d just won the World Cup. So a couple of days later, I’d messaged, ‘Well done! Congratulations!’ That’s it. We got in touch again. When we met, he was very clear he didn’t want friendship and said, ‘Tere se hi shaadi karunga’ (I’ll marry only you). I said, ‘Shaadi?’ I was only 21,” she recalled during an interview on BHARTI TV. At that stage, Basra was just beginning her acting career and wary of the industry’s challenges. “I’d just stepped into the industry. Fifteen years ago, it was a very different time for women. Even if you were spotted with someone, your career was over. I lost out on four films because of the news that I was getting married. So I always say maybe I came to India so I could meet my partner and soulmate,” she reflected. Born in England, Basra had moved to Mumbai to pursue acting. Although Harbhajan was quick to express his feelings, Basra took her time. “For him, it was love at first sight. But I took 10 months to say yes. I told him the day you’d score 300 wickets, I’d say yes. A couple of days later, he got 300 wickets. So I said let’s give it a shot. Because all my friends told me he’s a very good guy. He’s a star, but doesn’t have the attitude of a star. He’s humble. He’s also a Punjabi like me. That matters a lot because he can gel with my family, like my nani (maternal grandmother) who speaks only in Punjabi. So that sense of unity enters your family,” she explained. The couple tied the knot in 2015. Looking back, Basra shared what helped her make the decision: “Sometimes, we just need to know, can I spend the rest of my life with this partner? Because we’re from different countries so there’s a cultural difference. Then he’s so known so I was wondering if he’s loyal. Because I never wanted to marry an actor because there’s a perception. But he’s beyond that. He’s a very grounded person.”
